samedayItoldthekingofmytrickanditssuccess。
　　Helaughed
　　excessively，andthenscoldedmeforatallcompromisinghis
　　Danishmajesty。
　　“How，sire？“
　　wasmyreply。
　　“Ididnotsignhisname；Ihavenot
　　forgedhissignature。
　　Thevanityoftheduchessehasalonecaused
　　alltheridiculousportionofthisjoke。
　　Somuchtheworsefor
　　herifshedidnotsucceed。“
　　Ididnot，however，limitmyrevengetothis。
　　Asecondletter，
　　inthesamehand，wasaddressedtomylucklessenemy。
　　Thistime
　　shewasinformedthatshebeenmadeabuttof，andmystified。
　　I
　　learnedfromM。deSartines，who，afterourcompact，gaveme
　　detailsofall，themethodsshehadpursuedtodetecttheauthorof
　　thesetwoepistles，andputaterminationtoalltheseinquiries，
　　bydenouncingmyselftoM。deSartines；whothengavesucha
　　turntothewholematter，thattheduchessecouldneverarrive
　　atthetruth。
　　Voltaire，inthemeantime，wasnotslowinreply；andasIimagine
　　thatyouwillnotbesorrytoreadhisletter，Itranscribeitforyou:——
　　“MONSIEURLEDUC，——Iamalost，destroyedman。
　　IfI
　　hadstrengthenoughtofly，IdonotknowwhereI
　　shouldfindcouragetotakerefuge。
　　I！
　　GoodGod！
　　I
　　amsuspectedofhavingattackedthatwhich，incommon
　　withallFrance，Irespect！
　　Whenthereonlyremainsto
　　methesmallestpowerofutterance，butenoughtochant
　　athatIshouldemployitinhowlingat
　　themostlovelyandamiableoffemales！
　　Believeme，
　　monsieurleduc，thatitisnotatthemomentwhena
　　manisabouttorenderuphissoul，thatamanofmy
　　goodfeelingwouldoutragethedivinitywhomheadores。
　　“No，Iamnottheauthorofthe’’
　　Theversesofthisrhapsodyarenotworthmuch，itis
　　true；butindeedtheyarenotmine:theyaretoo
　　miserable，andoftoobadastyle。
　　Allthisviletrash
　　spreadabroadinmyname，allthosepamphletswithout
　　talent，makemelosemysenses，andnowIhavescarcely
　　enoughlefttodefendmyselfwith。
　　Itisonyou，
　　monsieurleduc，thatIrely；donotrefusetobethe
　　advocateofanunfortunatemanunjustlyaccused。
　　Condescendtosaytothisyounglady，thatIhave
　　beenbeforeembroiledwithmadamedePompadour，
　　forwhomIprofessedthehighestesteem；tellher，that
　　atthepresentdayespecially，thefavoriteofCaesaris
　　sacredforme；thatmyheartandpenare
　　hers，and
　　thatIonlyaspiretoliveanddieunderherbanner。
　　“Astothescrapsyouaskfor，Ihavenotatthismoment
　　anysuitable。
　　Onlythebestviandsareservedupatthe
　　tableofthegoddesses。
　　IfIhadanyIwouldpresentthem
　　tothepersonofwhomyouspeaktome。
　　Assureher，that
　　onedaythegreatestmeritofmyversewillbetohavethem
　　recitedbyherlips；andentreather，untilshebestows
　　immortalityonme，topermitmetoprostratemyselfat
　　herbeautifulfeet。
　　“Iwillnotconcludemyletter，monsieurleduc，
　　withoutthankingyouathousandtimesfortheadvice
　　youhavegivenme。
　　Thisproofofyourkindnesswill，
　　ifpossibleaugmentthesincere
　　attachmentIbearto
　　you。
　　Isaluteyouwithprofoundrespect。“
　　Asitisboldtoholdthepenafterhavingtranscribedanything
　　ofM。deVoltaire’s，Ileaveoffhereforto-day。
　　CHAPTERX
　　Whenisthepresentationtotakeplace？——Conversationonthis
　　subjectwiththeking——M。deMaupeouandM。delaVauguyon——
　　Conversationonthesamesubjectwiththekingandtheducde
　　Richelieu——M。delaVrilliere——M。Bertin——LouisXVandthe
　　comtesse——Theking’spromise——Thefire-works，ananecdote——The
　　marquisedeCastellane——M。deMaupeouattheducdeChoiseul’s——
　　TheduchessedeGrammont
　　InspiteoftheloveoftheduchessedeGrammont，thekingof
　　Denmarkdepartedatlast。
　　LouisXVhavingresumedhisformer
　　habits，Ibegantomeditateseriouslyonmypresentation；andmy
　　friendsemployedthemselvestotheutmostinfurtheringmydesires
　　andinsuringmytriumph。
　　Thechancellor，whoeachdaybecamemoreattachedtomyinterests，
　　openedthecampaign。
　　Oneday，whenthekingwasinaragewith
　　theparliaments，thechancellorseizedtheopportunitytotellhim
　　thatthecabal，whowereopposedtomypresentation，testifiedso
　　muchresistance，undertheidea，andinthehope，thattheywould
　　besupportedbytheparliamentsofParis。
　　“Ifyourmajesty，“addedthechancellor，“hadlesscondescension
　　towardsthesemalcontents，theywouldfearyourauthoritymore。“
　　“Youwillsee，“repliedtheking，“thatitwillbetheiraudacity
　　whichwillurgemeontoastep，whichotherwiseIshouldwish
　　toavoid。“
　　WhilstthehatredwhichM。deMaupeouboretowardstheparliaments
　　servedmeinthisway，theloveofM。delaVauguyonforthe
　　Jesuitsturnedtoevenmoreadvantage。
　　Thegooddukeincessantly
　　talkedtomeofhisdearJesuits；andIasconstantlyreplied，that
　　myinfluencewouldnotbesalutaryuntilaftermypresentation，M。
　　delaVauguyonhadsenseenoughtoperceivetheembarrassmentofmy
　　situation，andsawthatbeforeIcouldthinkofothersImustthink
　　ofmyself。
　　Havingtaken“sweetcounsel“withthepowerfulheadsof
　　hiscompany，hefreelygavemeallhisinfluencewiththeking。
　　Fortunesentmeanauxiliarynotlessinfluentialthanthesetwo
　　gentlemen；ImeanthemarechalducdeRichelieu。
　　Inthemonthof
　　January，1769，hereturnedfromhisgovernmentofGuiennetoenter
　　onservice。
　　Hehadmuchcreditwiththeking，andthiswouldyou
　　believeit？resultedfromhisreputationasamanofintrigue。
　　He
　　toldthekingeverythingthatcameintohishead:hetoldhimone
　　day，thattheChoiseulsboastedthathe，thekingofFrance，never
　　daredintroducehismistressintothestateapartmentsatVersailles。
　　“Yes，“addedtheduke，“theyboastsoloudly，thatnothingelseis
　　talkedofintheprovince；andatBordeaux，forinstance，thereis
　　onemerchantwho，onthestrengthoftheenemiesofthecomtesse，
　　hasmadeabetthatshewillneverbepresented。“
　　“Andwhydoyounotimprisonthesepersons？“
　　inquiredthe
　　king，angrily。
　　“Because，sire，itappearstomeinjusticetopunishtheechoof
　　thefooleriesofParis。“
　　“Iwillconductmyselfasregardsthepresentationofmadamedu
　　BarryinthemannerwhichIthinkbest。
　　Butisitnotan
　　inconceivablecontrariety，thatonepartyshouldwishitwiththe
　　utmostdesire，andanotherplaceeveryobstacleintheway？
　　In
　　truth，Iamveryunfortunate，andacrueltyrannyisexercised
　　overme。“
　　TheducdeRichelieu，notwishingtoappearasoneofthetyrants
　　oftheking，gaveadifferentturntotheconversation。
　　Mypresentationwas，however，amatteroffirst-rateimportanceto
　　meandtomypartizans，andtheducdelaVrillierewasgained
　　overtomyside，bymakinghimbelievethatthekingwouldyield
　　tomydesires，andthatthenIshouldrememberallthosewho
　　opposedmyelevation。
　　Theducd’Aiguillonalsodrewovertomy
　　partyM。Bertin，whoborenolovetotheChoiseuls，andwhosaw
　　thatthepreponderanceofinterestwasonmysideofthescale。
　　WhenIwasassuredofaconsiderablenumberofdefenders，I
　　thoughtImightventureonthemasterstroke，andthusIwent
　　towork。
　　Oneeveningthekingwaswithme，andtheMM。deMaupeouandde
　　Richelieuweretherealso。
　　Wewerediscoursingofdifferentthings，
　　andthekingwasperfectlytranquillized，littleanticipatingthe
　　scenethatwasinstoreforhim。
　　Irosesuddenlyfrommyarm-chair，
　　andgoinguptohismajesty，afteraprofoundcourtesycastmyself
　　athisfeet。
　　LouisXVwouldhaveraisedme，butIsaid，
　　“No，IwillremainwhereIamuntilyouhaveaccordedmethe
　　favorIask。“
　　“IfyouremaininthispostureIshallplacemyselfinasimilarone。“
　　“Well，then，sinceyouwillnothavemeatyourkneesIwillplace
　　myselfonthem“；andIseatedmyselfinhislapwithoutceremony。
　　“Listentome，sire，“Isaid，“andrepeatwhatIsaytothekingof
　　Francewordforword。
　　Hemustauthorizemypresentation；forelse，
　　somefineday，inthepresenceofthewholecourt，Iwillgotothe
　　stateapartments，andtrywhetherIshallberepulsedatthedoor。“
　　“Willshehavetheboldness？“
　　inquiredthekingtothechancellor。
　　“Ihavenodoubtofit，sire。
　　Afemale，young，beautiful，honored
　　withyourkindness，mayventuretodoanything。“
　　“Isitnotdistressingtome，“Iadded，“that，gracedwithyour
　　majesty’sfavors，Iremainthusconcealed，whilstwomenwhom
　　youdetestannoyyouwiththeirpresence。“
　　“Madameisright，“repliedtheducdeRichelieu，“andIseethat
　　youlookforhereveryeveningwheresheisnot，andwhereshe
　　oughttobe。“
　　“What！